The Chargers are headed into cutdown day with a roster puzzle that still has a few loose pieces. After finishing the preseason with a close loss to the Rams, the front office now has to sort through injuries, camp surprises and a handful of tight battles before Sunday’s deadline.
At quarterback, DJ Uiagalelei clearly had the stronger preseason, but that may not be enough to unseat Trey Lance. The sense here is that the Chargers are unlikely to move on from Lance this year, even with Uiagalelei making a real push.
If roster space weren’t such a problem, both could stick, but the math gets messy with a third quarterback. The more likely outcome is Uiagalelei returning to the practice squad and fighting for the backup job next offseason.
The running back group could be in flux depending on Keaton Mitchell’s injury situation. There’s still no clear word on how serious it is or how long he might be out, but the combination of his injury history and Mike McDaniel’s mention of a setback makes an injured reserve start feel more likely than a rushed return.
Omarion Hampton and Kimani Vidal are safe bets to make the team. Amar Johnson has a profile similar to Mitchell’s, while undrafted rookie Greg Desrosiers Jr. added some noise with a strong showing against the Rams.
At tight end, the room looks like it was expected to look after the David Njoku signing, though the roles may not shake out the way they first did. Oronde Gadsden appears to be sliding farther down the pecking order to open the year.
The receiver group is mostly unchanged from the offseason, aside from the addition of speedster Brenen Thompson. Keandre Lambert-Smith was the one wideout who really needed to secure his place, and he did enough in camp to hold onto it. He also gives the Chargers depth across multiple roles, which matters after injuries have already started to nibble at the room.
The offensive line has been one of the biggest stories of camp. Branson Taylor’s emergence as a real contender at left guard was not something many saw coming, and then Tyler Biadasz’s brutal knee injury opened the door for rookie Jacob Spomer to step in as a backup option.
Taylor is already dealing with an injury, but he has done enough to earn a roster spot. Only one of the sixth-round rookies is likely to survive the first 53, with Logan Taylor’s versatility standing out.
Up front on defense, the Chargers have a difficult call to make. They’ve carried six defensive tackles on the initial 53 in each of the last two seasons, but this roster may be too tight to repeat that. The good news is that they have several players they may hope to stash on the practice squad for depth.
On the edge, Bud Dupree has shown there’s still some life left in the tank and has held off the younger rushers behind him. Nobody else in that group really forced the issue.
Nadame Tucker and Andre Carter look like practice squad names, while Kyle Kennard’s undisclosed injury could make injured reserve the cleanest path. That would buy time for the fourth-round pick to heal without giving up on him too soon, which fits the Chargers’ approach under Joe Hortiz.
Linebacker might be the hardest room of all. Carrying six and keeping Junior Colson would be a challenge, but Colson is finally healthy after two rough seasons to start his career.
There’s also a bigger-picture element here, since Henley, Perryman and Dye are all on expiring contracts in 2026. The Chargers could decide Colson is too important to risk losing.
Marlowe Wax has also made things interesting and could make Troy Dye feel a little redundant, though the preseason rotation never really opened the door for Wax to get second-unit work, which may end up protecting Dye’s spot.
In the secondary, Derwin James Jr. is the slot corner starter, with Donte Jackson, Tarheeb Still and Cam Hart filling out the starting group. Deane Leonard remains one of the league’s best gunners, and Nikko Reed was in the early rotations against the Rams before leaving early. Avery Smith and Rodney Shelley both pushed hard as undrafted rookies, but they appear to be just short of the roster - with the practice squad likely the next stop.
Safety looks pretty much as expected, with Kendall Williamson added in as a special teams piece.
Special teams could also be where the Chargers make one of their biggest late adjustments. JK Scott had a rough preseason and is on an expiring contract in 2026, so a change is at least on the table after his bad game against the Rams.
There’s still room for some roster maneuvering, too. Tony Jefferson could end up on the practice squad shuttle again after most of his 2026 salary was guaranteed, and the Chargers could use a similar move with Troy Dye if they want to find a way to keep Junior Colson. In the end, the feeling is the Chargers will find a way to keep both Colson and Avery Smith.
In Other News...
Chargers Suddenly Have A Kicking Concern Fans Cant Ignore
A late preseason miss from Cameron Dicker has turned into a much bigger talking point than the Chargers probably wanted. After pushing a 49-yard field goal attempt wide and then heading to the medical tent, the veteran kicker created an uneasy scene for a team that has otherwise counted on him as a steady presence.
Dicker said he is fine, but Jim Harbaugh added a layer of uncertainty by noting the kicker is "working through something." For a Chargers team trying to keep special teams stable heading into the game against the Arizona Cardinals, the hope now is simple: Dicker is available, and whatever is nagging him does not linger into the regular season. [Read more 🡒]
Chargers Roster Battle Got A Lot More Interesting Against The Rams
The Chargers preseason finale at SoFi Stadium had enough buzz to feel like more than just an exhibition, even with the Rams walking away with a 20-18 win. Justin Herbert connected with Quentin Johnston on a 65-yard touchdown, while running back Greg Desrosiers added a strong case for himself with 118 rushing yards and a score. Backup quarterback DJ Uiagalelei also helped keep the offense moving, piling up 141 passing yards and tossing a two-point conversion.
For a team still sorting out the bottom end of the roster, performances like those only sharpen the debate. Herbert and Johnston showed the kind of big-play upside that can change a game in a hurry, but it was Desrosiers and Uiagalelei who may have made the late-August decision-making a little tougher. In a preseason game, those are exactly the kinds of snaps that matter. [Read more 🡒]
Chargers Suddenly Have A Familiar Special Teams Decision To Make
Preseason special teams mistakes have put JK Scott back under the microscope in Los Angeles, and the Chargers are now in the familiar spot of weighing whether their longtime punter still gives them enough reliability. Scott has been with the team for four seasons, but a missed tackle on a return man and a low punt average have made this summer feel less stable than the staff would like heading into the regular season.
The Chargers are at least doing their homework on alternatives, with Thomas Morstead and Jamie Gillan among the names being discussed as possible answers if they decide to make a change. Gillan could be off the board soon, which adds a little urgency to a decision that is starting to look more like a true competition than a routine camp evaluation. [Read more 🡒]